What a senior executive told me about how to thrive in an era of change

What is your job? Can be a tough question to answer. Also, the answer has likely changed over time. Heck, maybe it never even matched the job description from day one! Here's the thing - that is unlikely to slow down anytime soon, especially if you are a skills or knowledge worker. For you, change is inevitable, and accelerating. Fueled by technology and directed by shifting consumer trends, the dizzying rate of change means that producers (read employers) are constantly seeking to adapt. And that ripple effect is felt among partners and employees.

The question then becomes what attributes and attitudes does a modern-day employee need to thrive in this new reality of massive and accelerating change?

In this article, I share three of the most critical of these attributes I heard from a senior executive with a large organization to help you assess your position, and provide direction to fill any gaps. Let us begin.

Lunchtime Illuminations

One of my favourite things to do is have lunch with different people at different levels in different organizations in different industries. This week it could be a change manager in the oil and gas sector, and next week it could be a country musician on tour through Southern Alberta.

Recently, it was a director who heads a large department in a Canadian educational institution. Let us call him Kyle.

As Kyle and I chatted, he explained how the educational sector has seen important shifts driven by disruptive technology as learner preferences shift and the life-cycle of skills get shorter and shorter. In short, the sector was feeling the daze of accelerating change in the marketplace.

Then I asked him what he felt were the critical factors for success in the new reality. He had some interesting insights to share. First, he said, be damn good at your job!

1. Technical Expertise—Be damn good at your job!

This should come as no surprise. In a period of dizzying change, being good at what you do helps you stand out. Or at least keeps you from being kicked out. Employers and people in general, value excellence and will often be more forgiving of non-critical shortcomings if you are damn good at what you do.

Being damn good at your job means that you are proficient in your functions as they stand now. But it also means that you are staying up-to-date on developments in your field and allocating time and resources to upgrading yourself in the areas you find are critical to your success.

Being damn good at your job means that you pay attention to both “hard” and soft skills. As change accelerates and the lines between job descriptions blur, so do the lines between hard and soft skills. And as you progress in the company, your relational skills become more important.

So the next time you are planning your year, be sure to add in a few technical skills boot camps. And while you are at it, you might want to stop in for communication or public-speaking seminars for a day or two here and there. A leadership course wouldn’t hurt either (more on leadership in a minute).

Overall, aim for excellence. Rapid changes mean that excellent people who are damn good at their work are more valuable and those that are average are unremarkable and easily passed over. To paraphrase Kyle:

It is very important that we are able to get the job done well and produce excellent results.

2. Leadership. Be ready to take responsibility and to lead yourself and others

Leadership, as a subject of study, has enjoyed a lot of attention in recent times. Perhaps because our families, corporations and even countries are in dire need of it. One of the more interesting insights that has come out of this interest and research in leadership is the simple truth that we don’t have to be in a position of authority to be a leader.

Like John Maxwell succinctly defines it: Leadership is influence. Or as Kyle put it:

There is now an implicit and important project management and leadership component in any valuable roles as we move from rewarding tasks to rewarding results.

What I believe he was saying in effect was that even if you are not a manager by title, your ability to manage people and projects is a valuable skill to possess in the modern workplace.

Related to point #1 above, be damn good at your job, it is increasingly difficult and resource-intensive to be good enough at just your own work. Trying to be good at every job related to your work? That’s a one-way ticket to cuckoo-land. Since you probably do not want to go there, you will need others’ expertise and input. Following on that is the vital skill of leadership and influence.

This skill can be a real gamechanger.

Kyle actually shared how learning about leadership has been a very rewarding experience for him both personally and professionally. If you find yourself lacking in this area, it might be worth your while to invest in learning. Learn persuasion, leadership and some project management basics to help you excel.

Just remember, the first person you must lead is yourself. And now for the third point.

3. Adaptability-the two kinds of people

One of the most popular scientific theories of the modern and post-modern age is Charles Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection. Or as it is commonly stated – survival of the fittest. Yet this colloquialism can be misleading. This is because the term “fittest” is often interpreted (wrongly) as “strongest” at best and “most ruthless” at worst. When in fact what it really means is something completely different.

Fully understood, fittest in the language of Natural Selection, simply means adaptable. The saying should say survival of the adaptable. And that subtle but crucial distinction makes all the difference.

As Kyle expressed it in one of the many bouts of insights and eloquence during our time together:

During any change, there are two kinds of people – victims and players. And it all depends on your mindset. And even though most of us naturally want to step into the victim role, we would benefit from catching ourselves and choosing to be players in the change because that is how we can retain our power. It is also how we get to influence the change the most.

Well said! Having spoken and written on productivity in an era of change a few weeks prior, I could immediately see what Kyle meant.  (You can read the article here).

The SOTA Philosophy

This Survival of The Adaptable (SOTA) philosophy as I have now dubbed it, is hard to teach. It is more a choice than a curriculum. It lies in the realm of attitude or leaning.

The question I ask of you is simple—when faced with a change at work whether it be a small change like a deadline moved sooner or a complete reorganization of your department, do you see yourself as a victim or do you try to see how you can be a player?

Sometimes, all you can control is your own space. If that is the case, then be a solid player there. And, over time, you will develop a resilience and adaptability that brings you to the top. To be sure, being a player does not mean being a yes-man or a doormat. Sometimes, push-back is the justified response.

Survival of the Adaptable—a counter intuitive player strategy

Sometimes the right play is to relocate. Birds do it by flying south for winter (as do some people too. Any snowbirds in the house? 😊) and bison move from place to place based on the availability of nutritional resources. I do that too sometimes—from my home office to the kitchen fridge.

OK seriously, migration is a surprisingly commonplace strategy in nature for surviving and thriving. These species are generally adapted (there’s that word again) for this strategy. In our terms, this means having the skills, abilities and attitudes to make the migration as seamless and beneficial as possible.

So, don’t rule out this option—just make sure that you are making a deliberate choice from a position of power and self-determination and not merely bailing out from the position of a victim.To avoid this, make a choice to live by the philosophy of Survival of the Adaptable.

The adaptable are observant, flexible, cooperative and open-minded without losing their core values. They are like trees bending in a strong wind while staying firmly rooted in the earth.Perhaps, most importantly, the adaptable players in a change maintain agency in their lives. And in this one respect, I believe, they have a chosen the better path than the victims.

A Bonus Tip—build alliances

Kyle did not mention this, but that might be because we had already overshot our hour-long lunch by 15 minutes by the time we got round to point 3. Nonetheless, I would like to add this point based on my personal experience and study.

And here is the point—build alliances. In an era of change, it is easy to get super-busy and super-self absorbed. I get it. There are project deadlines looming and more demands on our time and mental resources. Especially if you are attending boot camps and seminars to boot.It is easy to forget to build and nurture our relationships. Easy, but a mistake. Perhaps this is best captured by a saying from the Yoruba tribe of Western Africa.

Ancient wisdom for a modern situation

The Yorubas are a tribe in Western Africa. This tribe is well known in the region for their impeccable taste (and skill) in crafting and combining beautiful garments made from finely woven fabrics.

There is a long-standing joke that one of the worst fates to befall a spectator at an event is to be seated behind a Yoruba woman. Why? Because her headdress would be so large and flamboyant as to ensure you see nothing of the show! But even the Yorubas knew that people are a better covering than any clothing. They have a saying that translates loosely as:

There is no garment as beautiful as people. Being surrounded by (supportive) people is like being clothed in honour and glory. - - Yoruba saying

The Yorubas have been saying this for centuries, long before cell phones and Gantt charts. Yet in modern times, this is more important than ever. And even as life gets faster and more fluid, stable and solid relationships—both personal and professional—remain invaluable assets.

Not only do these relationships provide a much-needed infusion of positive emotional energy when we feel stressed, but they can also be crucial to helping us bounce back from a setback resulting from an unexpected tide of change. To wit, perhaps getting a new job.

Remember companies don’t hire people, people hire people. Nurture your greatest asset – the people in your life.

Don’t just survive. Thrive

So there you have it – 3 tips from a corporate executive (plus a bonus from a productivity coach sponsored by an old African tribe) to help you succeed in an era of rapid change.I hope they help you navigate your life and career with success and finish strong and happy.

Until the next article, be your best and do your best.